UKIP Uncovered

UKIP Uncovered
What motivates the leaders of the United Kingdom Independence Party?

Wednesday, November 05, 2003

Farage's Demand for MEP Deposits

We quote below the letter from Nigel Farage to UKIP's MEPs mentioned in Monday's post regarding the Emergency NEC Meeting that had been scheduled for this afternoon:-

24th September 03

Dear Candidate

I am writing to bring you up to date with decisions taken at the European Elections Committee
meeting on Friday, 12 September.

Heather Conyngham was appointed National Campaign Coordinator. A logical development of this appointment was that Heather should take over as Secretary for the European Elections Committee with immediate effect. A unanimous vote of thanks was passed for all the hard work Michael has undertaken for the Committee to date.

The Committee agreed that candidates' £500 deposits should be collected centrally. (These monies will be banked in a separate ring-fenced account). Head Office will then take on the responsibility of lodging the deposits on behalf of all candidates when the date of the election is announced. In order to confirm your candidacy, therefore, please ensure that your individual cheques (clearly marked 'election deposit' on reverse) are sent to Head Office by October 31st, for the attention of Heather Conyngham.

These deposits will be returned to you after the election on a pro-rata basis. (They are saveable at 2 ½% and at the last Euro-election the only region where deposits were lost was Scotland - This time we aim to save them all).

It was heartening to hear at the Committee that most of you have already started fund-raising. I can't emphasise enough how important this is. Onwards and upwards!

Yours aye
Nigel Farage
Chairman, Euro-Election Committee

This letter can be seen to be worrying, arriving as it did so far in advance of any possible need for the money to be submitted to the Electoral Commission. Especially when bearing in mind all the known financial commitments the party was already struggling to meet such as the Dick Morris Consultancy Fees and the huge overspend remaining from the May elections as a result of Chairman Lott's usual incompetence and mismanagement.

A chaser was then sent on 29th October, strangely, in view of the earlier letter advising that Michael Harvey had been replaced as Euro- Elections Committee Secretary by Heather Conyngham, this e-mail was circulated by the now ex-Secretary and copied to a different Euro MEP:

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Harvey"
Cc:
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Subject: UKIP Candidate deposits - Reminder
To: UKIP Prospective Euro-election Candidates whose deposits remain outstanding
From: Michael Harvey
Dear All,
I attach a copy of Nigel's letter dated 24th September regarding payment of deposits into the separate ring-fenced account. I would be grateful if you could remit asap in accordance with Nigel's request.

Please disregard this reminder if you have posted your payment within the last few days - an unofficial postal strike in Central London has disrupted deliveries.
Regards,
Michael

Now had I still been an MEP candidate, rather than just another victim of the totally corrupted and discredited Disciplinary Panel (more on that later Messrs Clarke and Wood), then I would have been hugely suspicious of such a demand.

My first question would have been Why now so soon? Many more would have followed, especially once news of the Nikki Sinclaire High Court case outcome had broken, again upon which difficult topic, more later!

posted by Martin |6:05 PM